Fate Series- Book One, A Game of Fates
by The All-Seeing Ry
Summary: Fourteen- year- old Destiny Wade is just playing what was ment to be a simple game with her friends- only to discover a missing body, a man hiding himself, new friends, and a start of a brilliant career. (T for blood and suggested language) (CO. With Jekyll n' Hyde.)
1. Chapter 1

_**This is just a little experiment- Victorian murder mystery with romance and suspense. Let me know what you think!**_

August, 1888

A train moved heavily down the tracks and slowed to a stop. Clouds hung heavily overhead the city of London. Pigeons flew down to the cobblestone streets in the park and pecked at what bread crumbs they found.

A large black dog ran towards them, barking. The birds all scattered away.

"Oh, Lawrence!" His owner, only a fourteen- year- old girl, laughed as she walked over to him. She reached up to her light umber hair and tied the green bow back in it, shaking her head. "You silly dog, chasing birds in the park whenever you can and knocking out ribbons."

Lawrence took this as praise and rolled to his back, lolling his tounge out with a goofy smile up at her.

She rubbed his stomach and sat on the bench nearby. "Art and Lu said for me to meet them here." She swung her legs and sighed quietly. "I wonder what's keeping them."

As she waited, she watched the clouds overhead change shape and swirl in the air and the birds flutter over buildings and people pass by on opposite streets.

"Destiny!"

She sat up from the bench and grinned widely. "Lucy!"

Lucy was a petite, blonde beauty the same age as Destiny, with eyes like polished oak. Her blue dress looked pressed and neat despite her running. Even Destiny herself honestly an without any jealousy admitted, Lucy was much prettier than herself. She smiled. "How long have you been waiting?"

Destiny shrugged as she stood. "An hour, I guess. Maybe less."

Lawrence muzzled Lucy's skirt, making her laugh and rub his head. "Art should be here soon." She sat down next to Destiny. "What have you been doing all day?"

"I've just been helping Mother get her garden party set up." Destiny picked up a lily from close by and fiddled with the petals.

Destiny's mother, Elizabeth Wade, was between the middle and height of society in London, and was a member of a women's gardening club. She joined it when her husband left for India.

A boy with thick, curly blonde hair paced over cooly, whistling.

Lucy grinned and waved. "Arthur!"

Arthur was the son of a Lord, some people could tell by his gold hair and blonde eyes and fair skin that he was going to be handsome when he grew up. He grinned. "And how're my two dear friends today?" He clasped his hand together. "How does a game of dares sound?"

Lucy rolled her eyes and stood. "Oh, all right, mister truth- or- dare." She glanced at Destiny and raised her eyebrows. "Are you up for a round?"

Destiny gave a tiny shrug. "Well, if I must, I must." She stood and joined the two.

...

I dare..." Destiny pondered for a moment with a tiny grin. "Arthur."

His face fell. "Again?"

The three were standing on Baker Street, underneath a black iron lamppost. It had been four hours, the longest game of dare they'd played.

Destiny smirked. "If you hadn't dared Lucy to pick up a toad before it urinated on her fingers, I wouldn't have chosen you."

Lucy rubbed her fingers with a seethe. "Don't remind me."

Destiny pondered for a moment, then took her ribbon out of her hair, and tied it on his tail. "Arthur, I dare you to get this ribbon off of Lawrance before he reaches the end of that street." She patted the dog's rump. "Go!"

Arthur bolted after the dog, who was running on far down the street. He dove down and grabbed at the dog's tail with an "Umph!"

The dog halted, and Arthur untied the green ribbon as he stood and victoriusly held it up to his challenger. "Got it."

"Darn." She frowned.

Big Ben chimed the hour- one, two, three, four.

Lucy broke the silence. "My, it's nearly two! My mother will be excepting me soon!"

Lucy's mother, Genevieve Westernia, was a widowed woman burdened with the task of the current family fortune. The family was rich, but not as high- up as Arthur, close to the wealth Destiny's family had.

Arthur sighed. "Could we do one more dare? I still got to get revenge." He grinned evily at Destiny, who scoffed.

"You can't scare me with your silly dares," she said and crossed her arms. "What'll it be? Crawling under old Missus Betsy's porch? Putting a pin in someone's hat?"

He shook his head and pressed his tounge to the inside of his cheek, thinking. "I'll go easy on you." He looked around, then nodded. "Yep. I challenge you to-" he pointed down the close by allyway- "go at least halfway down there, and bring something to prove you've gone that far."

"But you'll be watching me."

"In case some old coot tried to grab you-"

"Oh, Arthur, don't do that!" Lucy begged. "Don't let her go by herself, at least!"

Destiny nodded and set a hand on her dog's head. "I'll take my Lawrence with me."

Lawrence barked, as if saying he would do so no matter what.

Arthur shrugged. "Fair enough." He waved a hand and stepped back, as a gentleman would do when he allowed a lady to go inside before he did. "After you."

Head held high and shoulders stiff and straight, Destiny walked into the alley way, with Lawrence next to her, his tail wagging.

The ally wasn't the worst Destiny had seen. A few loose wooden beams held the walls, high up, and a large piece of cloth dangled from one of them. The cobblestones were loose in some places, and the crates sitting to the sides were rotting away, showing off old pieces of fruit inside, which the girl concluded made most of the nose- burning stench in the street.

She stepped over a newspaper, but barely noticed the title saying "Two untimely unfortunate assaults".

Lawrence whimpered a bit.

Destiny scratched his ears and stopped in place. I think we're halfwa-"

A crate fell over, knocking over a rusty tin bucket, making her gasp in shock.

Lawrence backed up in front of her and growled.

A cat looked up at the visitors, unblinking, the darted away.

Destiny exhaled a nervous breath. "It was just a cat, boy. No need to bother it." She spotted a cloth, caught up from inside a large crate. "Ah, good. We'll take that."

Lawrence sniffed and grabbed the ends of the cloth.

Destiny took it as well and helped him tug.

They heard a creak. The board collapsed, making Destiny and her dog stumble backwards.

She sat up, stared, and screamed.

Arthur's eyes widened. "Destiny!" He shouted and ran with Lucy close behind.

Destiny was on her knees, eyes big with shock, mouth open in speechlessness.

Lucy took her hands. "Destiny, what is it?"

The girl swallowed hard, cheeks pale, as she pointed a shaky finger up at the open crate.

Standing up inside it, limp, was the lifeless body of Missus Betsy.


	2. Chapter 2

Lucy stared and covered her mouth. "Oh, my God." She gasped over and over, "No, oh no. Oh my God."

(You must remember, dear reader, these characters as piast people, and Lucy was saying this not in vain.)

Arthur stood and called out, "Constable!"

...

Within a matter of minutes, the police crowded the crime scene and started up an investigation. The chief officer took the three children's arms. "Come, I'll take you all home, before the reporters get here."

Arthur eased a hand onto Destiny's arm. "Come, Des. Let's get you home first."

"D- dead body..." the girl trembled as she took uneasy steps, eyes wide. "B- blood every w- where..."

Lucy glanced up at the chief officer. "Can we get her to her house first?"

The officer nodded. "I wouldn't blame her. She suffered a lot."

The three sat in the coach in silence as they rode.

Arthur finally spoke. "I- it's all my fault, Destiny. I shouldn't have let you go down that ally alone- or even down it at all."

Destiny shook her head. "N-no, Art, it's fine. Had Lawrence and I not gone down the ally, we never would have found Miss Betsy."

Lawrence whimpered and rested his head in Lucy's lap.

The blonde child rubbed his ears. "Good boy."

Destiny stared out the carriage window, quiet and thoughtful. She couldn't think of anyone who could hurt Miss Betsy. Details stuck out in her brain- whoever did it was strong and much taller than any average man. Maybe one of those boxers that fought in the alleyways at secret gambling clubs she'd heard about?

She was pulled out of it when the carriage halted in front of her home.

Arthur opened the door for the girls, and Lucy helped Destiny out. "Oh, Destiny! Let's find your mum."

The Wade home was a fairly large two- story house, which her father helped remodel and refurnish after buying it from a relative that was moving away. The exterior of the house was a soft creme, and the windows decorated with lovely, dark blue satin curtains.

Lucy helped Destiny onto the extended porch and walk around the house to the back garden.

The Wade home was a fairly large two- story house, which her father helped remodel and refurnish after buying it from a relative that was moving away. The exterior of the house was a soft creme, and the windows decorated with lovely, dark blue satin curtains.

Lucy helped Destiny onto the extended porch and walk around the house to the back garden.

The constable was talking to Ms. Wade. "...but your daughter took the situation very well, Madame. She's here now."

Destiny's mother was a woman of elegance and grace, an looks even more so in her lavender lawn frock. Destiny didn't inherit her dark gold hair or very fair skin, but the lack of clumsiness and fine brown eyes full of spirit was what she got instead. Her mother rushed to Destiny and knelt down in front of her and took her cheeks, which were stained red from tears. "Oh, darling Destiny!" She gasped. "Are you alright?"

Destiny nodded, feeling a little embarrassment from her mother's affection. "Yes, ma'am."

Her mother stood and brushed down her daughter's sleeves. "Let's get you inside.

The constable opened the door for Destiny and her mother and waited outside, as it was rude for a man to go into any woman's house without being invited.

Destiny's mother offered the office before walking inside, "Would you like some tea, Constable?"

He shook his head politely. "No, thank you, Madame Wade." He looked down at Destiny. "Young missus Wade, an officer will be here tomorrow afternoon to ask you questions. Yes?"

She nodded. "Yes, sir."

Good, then." He put his helmet back on. "We shall see you soon." He patted Lucy and Arthur's backs. "Come on, children."

Lucy took Destiny's hand with a quiet, weak smile. "My mum probably won't want me to see you and Art for weeks- maybe a full out year!"

Arthur laughed. "No, it'll be over in a while. Me, my father's going to sit me down and have a nice, long talk, perhaps before swatting me."

Madame Wade beamed at the two of them. "Now, of anything like that does happen, try to come by. You two are always welcome."

The two said their goodbyes to the Wades, the hurried off to the carriage.

Madame Wade stroked her daughter's back. "Come, let's go inside."

The interior of the house was accented with beige and light green wallpaper in the living room and kitchen, and crimson and white in the parlor. Destiny was taken upstairs by the house servant, Helené, an African woman with a sweet spirit.

"Now, Missus Wade, you done better get dressed, an' I'll clean them dirty clothes," Helené fixed Destiny into her nightgown and took her muddy clothes. "You take a bath." Then she left.

Destiny soaked in warm water for a long time until her toes became pruny and skin got the chills. She got dressed and laied down in bed and didn't sleep, because the image of Ms. Betsy still burned into her memory.

 _ **Aaaand another chapter down. Don't forget to review! :)**_


	3. Chapter 3

Blood. Cobblestones. Rain. Heartbeat. Rotting food. Limp figure. Devilish laughter.

Destiny woke up due to the images and senses in her nightmare.

The fourteen- year- old drew in a shaky breath as she pulled her loose brown hair back from her sweaty forehead and cheeks.

It had been nearly three days since the encounter, and the investigator had come the day before yesterday, asked a few questions, and left.

The clock downstairs chimed once, twice, three times as the rain pelted on her window. Destiny hugged her knees to her chest and stared out the window, hoping to drift off to the rain.

Thunder.

She winced slightly and covered her ears. How much did she hate loud noises in the midst of silence? Very much.

Her mind drifted back to the day, that fated day, on four o' clock in the afternoon, when Arthur had dared her to go down the alleyway. Her fingers started to itch.

Everyone who had heard about it- wether from paper or her mother- had all said to Destiny "Oh, you poor child!" "Your sweet mind- ruined!" "You must've had such a trauma." "If only someone else were in your place, dear one."

Destiny bit her lower lip as her fingers twitched, and her eyes stared out the window.

Her legs won over her will. She snuck past her mother's room, and tiptoed up the creeky, slightly dusty steps up to the attic.

The attic wasn't musty and ancient and dirty and messy. It was in a rather clean state, dusted quite well and the sewing mannequins draped in long pieces of cloth and all pieces of furniture polished and fixed, waiting for a chance to be reused. She walked to the large desk her father had moved up to the attic and took off the sheet.

The top of the desk was clean and orderly- an inkwell and pen neatly placed here; extra paper there; a new typewriter on the back edge of the desk, keys hardly pressed and ribbon still new.

Destiny (with a heave and grunt) picked up the typewriter and snuck down back to her room on the second floor and set it on her white desk, next to the window. She pulled up a chair, sat down, and let her fingers and mind work.

...

This time, the knock on the door snapped Destiny awake.

She rubbed her eyes and mumbled, "Yes?"

"Missus Wade?" Helené rapped on the door gently.

Destiny sat up. "Oh. Yes, Helené?"

"Yar mother would like ya downstairs as soon as ya can be."

She nodded and stood. "Thank you, Helené. I will be down in a minute."

Helené's footsteps paced away, and Destiny sat at her vanity and began combing her hair. In her reflection, she saw the typewriter on the desk, paper scattered around it, and a single sheet inside of it, typed a quarter of the page down.

Destiny tied her hair back and slowly walked over, fingers shaky. She pulled the paper out and began reading.

Another knock. Destiny grabbed all the papers and tossed them into the desk drawer.

"Darling?" Her mother knocked.

Frantic, Destiny pushed the typewriter under her bed. "Yes, ma'am?"

Her mother opened the door just as Destiny pulled on her night robe and looked up at her mother. "Your father sent a letter." She held out an envelope and smiled. "One for each of us- you and I."

Destiny's heart tugged on hope as she took it and opened it, and her eyes slowly widened as she read-

 _My darling little Fate! It feels as though an eternity has passed since I last picked up a quill and wrote to you and your mother. I am aware it has been the same for you, and I apologize deeply._

 _'As for news, none has come so far- aside from Rajhab accomplishing writing the English language and sending you a note inside. How proud he is of his accomplishments, as I hope you are as well._

 _'As I go on to speak, I may as well declare another good message I have received but moments ago, when I went to talk to the general- he has given me a two week break, yet I must remain in this area. But to every cloud, there is a ray of Sun- he has allowed the officers to send for their loved ones so we may all become one for a while before having to return to our duties. I sent three tickets to your mother, hoping your friend Lucy may wish to come._

 _'I cannot wait to hear of your adventures in London, darling Fate. This may seem sudden, I know, but within a month of receiving this letter, you and your mother and Lucy if she'd like can come visit Rajhab and I here in India. Do assure your mother and friend it is rather safe, as long as they do not wonder off alone without someone who knows the jungle like the back of their hands._

 _'I love you very much, darling Destiny. And I know a man will be willing to fall at your feet and do anything you wish and ask him. But for now, remain a child I can keep a little longer, and do not worry of the future._

 _'Your loving Papa._

Destiny felt a wide grin come across her face, and she hugged her mother tightly, laughing. "We're going to see Papa and Rajhab?"

"The end of this month!" Her mother chirped as she smoothed down Destiny's bangs. "Oh, he'll be happy to've seen how much you've grown."

Destiny felt color rise and bloom in her face as she looked down and fingered the letter.

Her mother patted her arm. "Come now, darling. Breakfast."


End file.
